Alfeed lee



(No Model.)

A. LEE

FRICTION RATGHET MOTOR.

No. 255,389. Patqnted Mar. 21,1882.

UNITED STATES ALFRED LEE, OF PAULDING, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO' FRANCIS B.

PATENT OFFICE.

DE WITT, OF SAME PLACE.

FRICTION RATCHET-MQTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,389, dated March 21, 1882. Application filed January 14, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ALFRED LEE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Paulding, in the county of Paulding and State of Ohio, have invented certain new andnseful Improvements in Friction Ratchet -Motors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide simple, compact, and serviceable means for converting reciprocating motion into rotary, whereby power transmitted by an ordinary treadle may be caused to operate rotating mechanism 5 and my invention relates to that description or class of means for the above purposes which may be denominated as friction ratchet-motors and myinventionconsists in amotor of the-class mentioned which has certain characteristics of construction and operation, as hereinafter more fully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

Figure lis a perspective of my motor. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof, and Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are details.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

My invention is designed to be used in connection with the treadle and main or driving shaft of lathes, sewingmachines, and all other mechanismsrunbyfoot-power,andIhaveshown only the main shaft A and treadle F as being sufiicient to render the use and operation of my invention clear.

To the main shaft A, by set-screw a, the fixed section B of my motor is secured.

The movable section 0 of my motor is retained from longitudinal movement on shaft A bycontact with fixed section B, and with a collar or shoulder, a, on the shaft, as shown. Otherwise it is loosely fitted on the shaft.

The section B is provided with a concentric straight-walled groove, 1), and section 0 is provided with aflange,c,which is continuous except at O, a small portion of the flange being removed at that point for the reception and operation of the free end of the ratchet-bar D, the ratchet-1n g d thereof being adapted to ride in the groove b of section B. The bar D is bent at the center to form a depression, (1,

which passes or loosely fits about the shaft A, between which and the bar a slender spring, d of sheet-steel is placed.

To the sectionO is attached means by which it may be rotated partially or wholly, and if partially or intermittently rotated additional means may be used to return it to, or about to, the point of starting; and though I have shown one form of means for the above purposes, I do not desire to limit myself, so far as the construction of the motor proper as above describedis concerned, to the said means, as other forms and arrangement of the same may readily be attached by persons possessing ordinary mechanical skill.

To the section 0, I may apply a belt, G, attached at g, the other end of the belt being attached to a coil-spring, H, which is secured to any desired fixed part of the machinery to be operated, and to'the hub of said section, in like manner, Iattach the ordinary treadle-str'ap or band, E. v a

The operation of my motor is as follows: The free end of the treadle being depressed, the strap E turns section 0 in one direction, and upon the removal of pressure on the treadle-spring H and strap G turns the section in the opposite direction. The ratchetbar D is by spring d caused to lie in such a position that its lug d is wedged in the groove b-that is, the lug in its longer dimension is disposed diagonally in the groove, so that its front inner and rear outer corners bite against theinner and outer walls of the groove. When section 0 is reversed in movement by strap G, the end of the flange of section 0 strikes against the free end of ratchet-bar D and overcomes exceedin glysimple,but very com pact,of smooth exterior and without projecting elements, and the parts, while being all contained within, are of easy construction and great strength.

I am aware that the following constructions are not of my invention, viz: two disks mounted upon a stationary non-rotative stud with an intermediate lever adapted to bite in a groove of one of said disks, and extending beyond the periphery and biting on the said periphery of another disk, and two disks, one of which is provided with a pawl which takes into a circular ratchet constituting a part of the other disks; but,

Havingdescribed my invention and its operation, what Iclaim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of section C and straps E and G, with means for operating the same in opposite directions with section B, and means contained within thelimits of said sections and yieldingly held away from the shaft A by an intermediately-arranged spring, for operating said shaft, all substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of shaft A, sections B and G, ratchet-bar D, spring d straps E and G, spring H, and treadle F, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED LEE.

Witnesses:

A. G. JACKSON, L. H. READOR. 

